CORRECT POSITION—LEANING WITH THE WHEEL.
CORRECT POSITION—LEANING WITH THE WHEEL.
What a horrible moment it is when first mounted on a bicycle, a mere machine, a thing quite beyond your control, and unable even to stand by itself. But it is impossible to tell without trying whether or not you can manage a bicycle. Make the experiment, therefore, and find out. Any competent teacher will guarantee success, and after the first five minutes on the bicycle can tell how long it will take you to learn. The time varies with the individual; the period of instruction may last for five minutes or for six months, without counting extra lessons for fancy wheeling.
Don’t try to get the better of your wheel. You cannot teach it anything, and there is really much for you to learn.
What to keep in mind when taking your lesson.—Attend to the bicycle and to nothing else. Don’t attempt to talk, and look well ahead of the machine, certainly not less than twenty feet. Remember that the bicycle will go wherever the attention is directed.
In sitting upon the wheel, the spinal column should maintain the same vertical plane that the rear wheel does, and should not bend laterally to balance in the usual manner. A new balance must be acquired, and other muscular combinations than those that are familiarly called upon. To wheel by rule is the better plan until the natural balance of the bicyclist is developed. Sit erect and sit still.
The bicycle must be kept from falling by a wigglingmovement of the front wheel, conveyed by means of the handle-bar. When moving, the rapidly revolving wheels maintain the vertical plane by rotation, with but little assistance or correction from the handle-bars.
It is a good plan, while the instructor assists you, to pedal with one foot at a time, holding the other foot free. This will enable you to determine the amount of pressure it is necessary to exert to cause the wheels to revolve.
When both feet are on the pedals, they oppose each other. The weight should be lifted from the ascending pedal, or else the descending foot must push the other foot up until that foot is in position to exert a downward pressure. This instruction applies to forward pedaling only; for back pedaling or backing, the movement should be reversed. Practise pushing first with one foot and then with the other, taking the weight off the opposite pedal in each case. At each push of the pedal, a little pull on the handle-bars, pulling with the hand on the same side on which you are pushing with the foot, will keep the wheel from falling. Look well ahead. The bicycle covers the ground very rapidly, and the eye does not at first receive impressions quickly enough to enable you to know where to look and what to look for.
As soon as your teacher will allow it, take the wheel for a little walk. This may seem rather an absurd proceeding, but it will assist you greatly in learning the feel and tendencies of the machine. Lead the bicycle about carefully, holding thehandles with both hands and avoiding the revolving pedals. Learn to stand it up, to turn it quickly, and to back it in a limited space.
INCORRECT POSITION—LEANING AGAINST THE INCLINATION
INCORRECT POSITION—LEANING AGAINST THE INCLINATION
The machine heretofore has been arranged for you. Now you can begin to think how you would like to have it adjusted. You will, perhaps, find fault with the saddle. The saddle is a very important adjunct, and much depends upon its proper adjustment. A large, soft saddle is usually preferred by the beginner, and perhaps this is a good kind to learn to balance on; but it is a very poor kind to wheel on, for many reasons.
At first, in practising pedaling, the height of the saddle should permit the hollow of the foot to rest firmly on the pedal when the pedal is lowest. The ball of the foot only should press on the pedal. The foot should be made to follow the pedal as early as possible. Point the toe downward on the last half of the down stroke, and keep pointing it until the pedal is at its lowest, following the pedal with the foot, and pointing downward until the pedal is half way on the up stroke. This carries the crank past the dead centre. To acquire a proper method, attention should be directed to each foot alternately.
To learn to balance, have the saddle raised as high as possible, so that the ball of the foot just touches the pedal at its lowest. Practise wheeling in this way, with an instructor, or alone on a smooth surface where you are sure to be undisturbed.
The hands naturally take a position where it is easy to grasp the handles of the handle-bars. The handle-bar conveys two principal movements to thefirst wheel—a short wiggling movement and a long or steering sweep. The handle-bars also assist in maintaining the seat at first.
The beginner usually exerts too much pressure on the pedals, and has to pull correspondingly hard on the handles to correct the falling tendency of the machine. This is very hard work, and stiff arms and shoulders and blistered hands may be often thus accounted for; they are the result of badly balanced pedaling. To be able to sit comfortably at work, and to feel that it is not so hard after all, is a great advance.
Now, the question of that other foot. By this time which “the other foot” is will have become quite evident; it is always the foot to which attention for the moment is not directed, and which consequently may meet unexpected disaster—a lost pedal, perhaps, with its accompanying inconveniences.
Downward pressure with the foot is easily acquired and needs little effort. To take the pressure off the ascending pedal at the right moment is a more difficult matter. Usually considerable practice in cycling is necessary before the unused lifting muscles are strengthened sufficiently by exercise to permit them to do their work easily.
There is a third movement of the handle-bars—a quick twist in the direction the machine is leaning if about to fall; it is made suddenly, and brings the wheel back to its original position. If the wheel were stationary, and the front wheel were turned, the bicycle would fall in an opposite direction from the front wheel. If the wheel is about to fall, it canbe prevented from doing so by throwing the balance the other way by means of the handle-bars. A similar result is accomplished by wiggling the front wheel, and when a bicycle is moving very slowly, a continuous wiggle—changing the balance as the machine inclines from side to side—is necessary to keep it upright.
The body should incline with the rear wheel and maintain the same plane with it, becoming as much as possible a part of the wheel, as though united by a straight bar going from the base of the tire to the top of the head.
The rear wheel and all the weight that it carries is governed by the front wheel and controlled by means of the handle-bars. The rear wheel supporting all the rider’s weight, the power is applied to that wheel. The front wheel serves only for balance and steering.
It is not necessary to provide a complete outfit to take the first lesson. If you possess a pair of knickerbockers, so much the better. Wear an old dress, easy shoes and gloves, and a hat that will stay on under any conditions. The clothing should be as loose as possible about the waist. Wear flannels, and no tight bands of any kind or anything elastic. As respiration is increased by the exercise, the clothing should be loose enough to allow of a long deep breath, drawn easily, taken by expanding the chest at the lower ribs to fill the lungs. This precaution being taken, giddiness and short-windedness can result only from over-exercise. Ten or fifteen minutes’ practise is enough at first; and a halfhour’s lesson later, with several stops for rest, is the best rule for many people, particularly those unaccustomed to active exercise.
If you are an equestrian, you will meet with many unexpected problems. The bicycle will do nothing for you, and the lack of horse-sense must be supplied by your own intelligence. It is well, when learning, to remove all bicycle accessories. They are only in the way, and add weight and distract the attention. The propelling of the bicycle—that is the one idea to keep in mind. Make the machine go; shove it along. Never mind if you are not quite comfortable or at ease at first. Sit on your saddle and stay there. Do not try to balance the machine. Lean the way the machine inclines, not away from it, as it will be your first impulse to do. The bicycle is not to be fought against; it is to be propelled and controlled; and the art is not difficult to acquire.
Avoid starting a bicycle on a down grade when you are learning. For on a slight, even an almost imperceptible incline, the cycler must back-pedal; but the beginner wishes to propel the bicycle, and for that purpose must use an altogether different muscular combination.
You have learned to wheel a bicycle,—have had some lessons, can take the machine and mount it, wheel a little way, and fall off; or can wheel for some time without a dismount, but feel utterly exhausted after a short spin. You have accomplished what you attempted,—you can wheel a bicycle; but you feel dissatisfied. You have tried to ride with friends, perhaps, and have had to give it up; yet you feel that you should be able to do what others have done and are doing all the time. It is very discouraging.
What you should have now is a suitable and comfortable wheeling outfit. You perhaps have a bicycle of your own; if not, a good wheel may be hired reasonably. The matter of dress is now all-important, and a costume suitable for cycling should be selected; it is impossible to do good work or to practise comfortably unless you are properly dressed.
Choose for a practice ride a pleasant day, with little or no wind, and neither too hot nor too cold. The atmospheric conditions are an important factor in bicycling; indeed, beginners are often discouraged by external conditions which really have nothingto do with their mastery of the machine. Take the bicycle out on a smooth road, where you may have two or three miles free from traffic, and as level as possible. If the road is muddy or slippery, wait for the proper conditions. Unless the surface is smooth and dry, it is better to take the bicycle back without attempting to mount it. If two or three miles of good road are not accessible, a quarter-mile stretch or even less will serve. Select a good pathway, however short.
See that the wheel is adjusted to suit you; the saddle of a comfortable height, certainly not too high; the handle-bars convenient to grasp. Assure yourself that all the nuts are secure, the saddle and handle-bars firm. Spin the pedals to see that they revolve easily. Make up your mind before mounting how far you want to go; mount the machine, wheel it for this distance, and dismount. Do not try to look about while wheeling. Give your whole attention to the bicycle and keep your eyes fixed in the direction you are travelling. Avoid hollows and cart-ruts, though these should not occur if the locality for practice is well chosen. If an unexpected hollow or hump should be encountered, hold hard to the handle-bars and press firmly on the pedals, rising at the same time a little from the saddle. The pedals are most important parts, the controlling power being centred in them. If there is a good hand-brake on the bicycle, it is well to note its action and to understand how to apply it; for in case of a lost pedal, its application might give a little confidence. By a “lost pedal” is meant, not that part ofthe machine is literally lost, but that the foothold is missed on it, and so control of the wheel lost for the moment.
PROPER WAY TO STAND A BICYCLE.
PROPER WAY TO STAND A BICYCLE.
If out of breath, wait until rested. Rest for a few minutes in any case, and look about, and note the surface wheeled over. Then plan another spin, of perhaps a few hundred feet. Fix upon an objective point, wheel to it, and dismount. Rest thoroughly, and mount again. Be careful to avoid becoming chilled while resting, stopping only long enough to restore the natural breathing and to look over the road.
Half an hour of this kind of work at first every suitable day is enough. If you are strong and accustomed to active exercise, the time may be prolonged to an hour or an hour and a half; or you may practise twice daily, morning and afternoon, or afternoon and evening. Cycling weather is an uncertain quantity, and all possible advantages should be taken of it. If tired after the first day’s practice, do not attempt to resume it until entirely rested, even if it is necessary to wait for two or three days; for unless the wheel is well understood and the wheeler fairly practised, it is hard work. The practised cyclist controls the bicycle without conscious effort, and may direct his attention to his surroundings; but the novice must concentrate his attention on his machine.
A bicycle should always be handled carefully; for though it is made strong enough for the emergencies of being thrown and pulled and twisted, none of these things improve it. Keep the polish free fromscratches, and the more delicate parts free from dents. Do not let the bicycle fall or throw it down carelessly. Learn to balance it against a curb or post or fence or any other convenient object, without injury to the bicycle or to the supporting surface.
A bicycle will balance in this way: The front wheel kept from moving at either the tire or the centre of the frame; the pedal resting against some firm object.
Do not wheel near anything, but give yourself as much room as possible. A practised cyclist can take a bicycle wherever it is possible to walk, but it is sometimes a feat to do this.
The proper position cannot be too soon acquired. Sit erect and not too far from the handle-bars. Let the hands grasp the handles in an easy, natural position. The saddle should be quite over the pedals to give a natural movement, forward, down, back, and up. The bicycle is sensitive, and yields to almost unconscious direction; but if the eye is not trained to judge distances, steering will be difficult at first. It is necessary to look well ahead, to decide quickly what you will do, and to do it. Pedal fast, but do not hurry. Don’t try to find out how fast you can go. This is not a good time for such an experiment; it will be easy later to test your speed. Pedal fast enough to keep the machine running easily and smoothly and to feel it take care of itself a little. It is easier to guide and control it when it is in motion with the wheels rolling rapidly.
CARRYING THE BICYCLE.
CARRYING THE BICYCLE.
It is not a good plan to select a very light wheel for practice. The tendencies and the peculiaritiesof the bicycle are more readily determined when there is a little weight to resist. Be careful to wear nothing tight, particularly shoes, gloves, waistband, or hat; for they might prove a source of discomfort or even danger.
Learn to steady the bicycle as soon as you can. It will wiggle and wobble from a number of causes. The front wheel must be kept steady. Wobbling results from losing the sense of direction for a moment. To overcome the difficulty, either stop and dismount, or, if it is possible, increase your speed.
Before taking a bicycle out, have any oil that may have settled on the outside of the bearings wiped off, and add a little fresh oil to the oil-cups. The chain or power gear should be lubricated, and any superfluous lubricant carefully removed. The ease with which the bicycle runs depends on proper cleaning and oiling; an illy cared for or badly oiled machine, moreover, is very unpleasant to handle.
A course of practice will inspire confidence, and wobbling will occur less and less frequently. Then the inequalities of surface will be noticed, and the cyclist will wonder why it is harder to wheel in some places and in certain directions. Parts of the road are covered, the wheeler being almost unconscious of exerting any force, and again in places the foot seems to be pushed up. Ease and comfort in wheeling are dependent to a large degree on the wind and to a much larger degree on the grades and hills. A very little grade, a very slight rise, quite unnoticeable to the pedestrian, is disagreeably obvious to the bicyclist. The difficulty presented may be overcomeby pushing on the pedal at the right place as it descends, and at the right time, time and place being also adjusted to the weight and power of the bicyclist. To push at just the right time on a grade assures an easy ascent. Any difficulty in pedaling may be traced to a wrong application of power.
Hill-climbing and grade work require thought and practice. Do not be discouraged because a little bit of a hill seems quite impossible. Overcoming grades is no easy matter, and is usually learned slowly; every time a grade is attempted, however, some progress is made. Wheel as far as it is possible to go comfortably; then dismount, and walk the rest of the way. Never try to mount on an up grade unless you are expert, for this is a difficult and most fatiguing thing to do. When mounting, notice the grade, and if it is downward, do not have the mounting pedal at its full height; and select a clear place to mount in. If an up grade must be wheeled over, it is often advisable to mount in a downward direction, wheel far enough for a start, and then turn to ascend without dismounting. Learn to pedal slowly and steadily and to start and stop easily. These things may be practised at convenient times, and with sufficient practice will be mastered, but meanwhile need keep no one from attempting a moderately long run.
PICKING UP A BICYCLE.
PICKING UP A BICYCLE.
Uncertain attempts at mounting are very fatiguing. Get some one to mount and start you when off for the first long outings; the energy saved can be better utilized in wheeling. Do not be afraid to wheel over small inequalities if their direction is atright angles to the direction of the bicycle; but avoid all ruts and depressions parallel with the wheel’s direction. It is easy to slip into them, and difficult to get out of them without a spill.
Never eat a full meal before starting on a bicycle trip; if possible, set the time for starting at least an hour after eating. Ten, twenty, and thirty miles are often covered after the first or second trial. It is better to sit on your wheel and pedal slowly than to dismount. Getting on and off, stopping and starting, are much more fatiguing than wheeling; and it is well to economize your strength at this stage. Always see that the tool-kit is in place on the bicycle, and never go far without a wrench and a screw driver.
The tires also should receive close attention; they should be properly inflated, and the hand-pump carried on a convenient place on the machine. It is never well to use a tire that is not property inflated. Avoid all broken glass, nails, etc., and do not rest the wheel against a barbed wire fence.
The wheeler who desires to succeed cannot too soon begin to observe and take notes. Early learn to use the wrench yourself, and study how to apply that instrument properly. Study the different parts of the bicycle, and note how they are put together; and particularly observe each nut and screw, and determine its purpose. Each nut must be at its proper tension to hold securely. Study the valves of the tires and learn their construction; and be sure you know how to apply the pump-coupling properly. Learn the names and uses of the different parts ofthe bicycle, and study their construction. This is mechanical geography, if I may use such a term. Learn to care for your health and how to prepare your system to resist fatigue. Then you will find that you have mastered the subject, and are prepared to avail yourself of the many pleasures of the sport.
The oftener discouraged, the oftener the opportunity to hope again. The art of bicycling is a purely mechanical attainment; and though its complications may at first seem hopeless, sufficient practice will result in final mastery.
Accuracy is the first principle of cycling; and the would-be bicyclist should learn as early as possible that ease of movement and precision of movement are inseparable; and that bruises and bumps and wrenches, though they may have an educational value, are not a necessary accompaniment of the sport. The skilful instructor need never allow a scratch or a bruise. Some people want to learn everything at once; but only so much should be done at each attempt as can be done accurately, if it be only walking the machine about and standing it up. This exercise is helpful, for walking a bicycle about requires a series of accurate movements, and accurate movement is necessary in learning mounting and propelling.
The bicycle is a marvel of adjustment, and the bicyclist is obliged to adopt movements that correspond with the movements of the bicycle. The more accurate this correspondence of movement, the greater the ease of propulsion.
The lines and angles of the levers of feet and legs must be studied to so apply them as to secure the best results. Avoid undue tension. Learn just howmuch to lean the bicycle in mounting, just where to place the foot, where to stand in relation to the handle-bars, and where to place the weight on the machine. This understood, mounting is accomplished. The bicycle may be mastered, and easily mastered, by remembering all the things not to do and by doing all the things that should be done.
To assist another to do what you do not know how to do yourself is not an easy task; yet there are people who are willing to undertake it.
A bicycle is so nicely balanced that it is easy to hold it up if it is taken hold of in the right way. Grasp the back of the saddle firmly with one hand, take hold of one of the handles with the other, and the machine is in your power. A person seated on the saddle with a firm hold of the handles of the handle-bar, becomes, as it were, a part of the machine, and when sitting quite still is governed by the same laws of balance that control the bicycle.
Take hold of a bicycle with some one seated in the saddle, and move it a few inches forward, then a few inches backward, and it becomes at once perceptible that but little force is necessary to overcome the inertia of the combined weights of wheel and rider. The wheel has a tendency to fall to either side, but it is easy to balance the weight on the tires. Then hold the wheel a little toward you, for it is easier and less fatiguing than to hold it from you. If the bicycle is allowed to incline from you, it will pull you over; if it inclines toward you, you can support its weight against the shoulder. If the rider sits still and inclines with the machine, it is easilyrighted; but if the rider’s weight is thrown in a direction opposite to the inclination of the bicycle, the tendency to fall is increased, and the inclined bicycle is pushed over.
LEADING A BICYCLE ABOUT.
LEADING A BICYCLE ABOUT.
Before assisting another person with a bicycle, it is well to note all the tendencies of the machine. This may be done by taking a bicycle and putting it in all the different positions mentioned. The motions are the same whether or not there is any one in the saddle, and it is well to learn to manage the machine without exerting too much force. Stand on the left-hand side of the bicycle, and hold the saddle with the right hand. The steering may be done with the left hand, and the bicycle kept upright by wiggling the front wheel. It is better to do this than to attempt to hold the front wheel still. Walk the bicycle about by the handle-bars only, and you will find that to keep the wheel straight it is necessary to hold the bars stiff, and this is quite a difficult undertaking. Allowed to move gently from side to side, the wheel is more easily controlled.
When assisting a person for the first time, stand beside the machine, see that the pedal farthest from you is raised to its greatest height, and move the bicycle forward until the pedal is commencing its down stroke. Then let the wheeler step in beside the bicycle, in front of you and on the same side of the machine, and grasp both handles firmly. Stand as close as possible to the bicycle, having it inclined toward you at such an inclination that the weight of the wheeler, stepping to the opposite pedal, will right it. Then, while you hold the bicycle still, thewheeler should step on the raised pedal, stand upon the pedal with the knee stiff, and then settle slowly on the saddle; the other foot must find the down pedal. Do not let the machine move yet, but have the beginner go over these movements again, practising them from both sides of the machine until a little confidence is felt.
It is all important to get on the saddle quickly and easily and without necessity for readjustment. If a skirt is worn, it should be arranged before placing the weight on the pedal, and the knee should be slightly bent when the pedal is lowest. The saddle should be the right height; the handle-bars should be a trifle high, that is, when the rider sits erect; the hands should rest easily and comfortably on the hand-grips. Now the thing for the rider to do is to ride and hold on to the handles. Don’t let the wheel get away from you. To prevent an accident, should this happen, the beginner should know how to come off the bicycle. An active person can step to the ground before the wheel has time to fall. To get off, step on the pedal that is down, and throw the other foot over.
If the saddle is not right, dismount the wheeler in this way: Have the wheeler’s feet firmly placed on both pedals, and see that the down pedal is on the side on which you are standing. Pull the machine a little to that side, and see that the foot is on the down pedal. Then direct the wheeler to step on this down pedal, throwing all the weight on it, and to pass the raised foot over in front of the down foot to the ground. The foot on the down pedal shouldnot be removed until the other foot, placed on the ground, has taken the rider’s weight.
PREPARING TO DISMOUNT.
PREPARING TO DISMOUNT.
Say that you are now going to move, and let the wheeler mount as before. Show that a wiggling movement must be kept up with the front wheel, and say that you will help to do it. See that the wheeler has both handles held firmly, and then grasp the bars just in front of the handle. Keep firm hold of the saddle, and control the balance and push by that, letting the bars do their own work.
A learner always pushes too hard on the pedals.
Take the machine about, and trot it up and down, holding it firmly and keeping it balanced. Should it pull you over, the wheeler can step off without difficulty.
It is much easier for two than for one to help a beginner. A trio of novices can form a very fair school. A bicycle is inclined either to pull or to push, and if supported on both sides, the pulling tendency is avoided and the pushing tendency readily corrected. If ladies are helping one another, the best way is for two to hold the bicycle, standing one on each side of the machine. Both should hold the saddle and both should hold the handle-bars just beyond the handles and above the hands of the wheeler. One should instruct, and the other help to hold the machine.
Let a beginner first learn to mount, then to dismount, practising these movements several times before starting; then, having made sure that the pedal on that side is two-thirds up, come to the left hand side of the wheel, step on the pedal, and beseated in the saddle; then put the weight on the pedal that is down, and step off with the other foot. Repeat several times, mounting from each side, dismounting on the same side and on the opposite side, at command, and repeating. Tilt the wheel as the weight goes on the pedal. Dismount the pupil, and walk the wheel about between you, wiggling the front wheel. Then mount your pupil, and proceed as already explained. After the pupil begins to propel the wheel, very little assistance from the instructor is necessary, and care should be taken not to confuse the pupil as to the amount of work they are doing. Call attention to the ease with which the wheel is brought up when inclined to fall, and explain about turning and steering and wiggling, and what these motions are for. You cannot propel a bicycle unless you know what you are doing; there cannot be guess-work about it. The perfect confidence that comes with familiarity and practice must precede success.
Given three people with one bicycle, all can learn to ride, helping each other in turn. Having learned to mount and dismount, the next thing is to learn to start the bicycle. The weight should be allowed to start the bicycle as soon as the foot, pressing on the pedal as it descends, brings the wheeler to the saddle.
The stop should be learned next. The wheeler should be reminded to notice which is the down pedal, and to step on it with all the weight just as it begins to rise. This will stop the machine, and the dismount is made in the usual way by throwing the other foot over, and stepping with that on the ground.The foot that has stopped the machine should not leave the pedal too soon, but remain on it long enough to control the bicycle.
DISMOUNTING.
DISMOUNTING.
As soon as the wheeler can pedal a little and has the balance well enough to ride without assistance, the next thing is to learn to ride over ordinary obstructions, and to remain on the wheel for a given number of minutes without dismounting. All this can be taught in an ordinary room or on a piazza; and both teacher and pupil will find a smooth surface, such as a board floor or a pavement, best adapted for the work. Attention cannot too soon be directed to taking the weight off the ascending pedal, and the exercise should not be prolonged for a moment after this becomes a difficult thing to do.
At first the practice leaves the beginner much agitated and breathless; but these conditions are overcome after a few lessons, though experienced riders sometimes experience a return of them when they find mounting difficult and do not notice the grade they are attempting. The sensitiveness of the wheel sometimes puzzles the beginner, and the sense of adjustment is often difficult to acquire.
Nervous work and nervous effort are noticeable in no other sport in the same marked degree. Some seize and adopt its salient points at once and almost unconsciously, but the majority are not so fortunate. The first fifteen minutes on a bicycle are frequently enough to cause thorough exhaustion. The best remedy for this is to take the wheel and walk it about; the pupil should be left alone with it. If fifteen minutes’ work is too much, alternate five minutes’ work with rest at the next lesson.
The balance and distribution of strength for the pull by the hands is quite important in directing and controlling the machine. The feet are used to propel and to balance. The teacher should note carefully if the beginner errs by incorrect pedaling or by too much pull on the handles, and correct the wrong tendency.
Balance by pedaling comes next in order, and cannot be practised too early; and as by this time a fair amount of speed will have been attained, the natural balance begins to be acquired.
Balanced pedaling and swaying are very different, and should not be confused. The bicycle may be propelled, balanced, and controlled entirely by the pedals; and as this is the best and most important mode of wheeling, it should early be understood and attempted.
The adjustment of the machine should now be taken up, and the wheeler should know how and why the bicycle can be changed to suit individual peculiarities. The wiggling tendency of the front wheel lessens as the wheeler acquires confidence; and its unsteadiness can be overcome and controlled with the balance and by pedaling, with the swaying of the body or the pressure of either foot.
There is much to avoid as well as much to do. Incorrect position means difficult work, almost impossible propulsion and possible personal injury. The knowledge that everything is firmly screwed up about the bicycle, and particularly that the saddle is secure, cannot be too soon acquired. Never attempt to mount or even to try the bicycle unless the saddleis properly secured and immovable. If anything breaks, it is not necessarily your fault; if anything is insecure, blame no one for not attending to something you should yourself have attended to. Always examine the pedals to see that they turn easily; and be sure about that saddle. It is a good deal of trouble to screw the nut up tight for a few minutes, or even for half a minute, but it should be done.
When adjusting the saddle, never be hurried when tools are to be used, for it is necessary to apply them carefully to insure accuracy; and a nut really requires serious attention, for often a good deal depends upon it. If screwed hurriedly, the thread is in danger of being injured, and on that thread the holding power of the nut depends.
When the beginner can balance and propel the bicycle for a little way alone, the really tedious part of learning often begins. At this point beginners become discouraged, for there seems to be nothing new to learn; yet the results attained are unsatisfactory. What is needed is practice.
Practise on a smooth piece of road, with some one running beside the bicycle to give confidence and prevent falls. The proper position in mounting should be studied. In mounting a drop-frame machine, never step over the frame and place the foot on the ground; it is an awkward and ungainly method. Take a proper position, then be sure everything is right, and last of all, step on the pedal, and you are moving.
A good way to practise, if you have no one to help you, is to mount the bicycle in the gutter, and limpalong; or if in the country, a roadside fence may give the needed assistance. Grasp a post firmly, and holding by it, try to mount; and study the tendencies and the balance of the bicycle without letting go the post.
Make up your mind how to mount, start the pedal properly, and keep trying until you can ride a little. If a little, why not more? Keep on practising, avoiding faults.
For instruction, the bicycle should be fitted with an instructor’s handle, and the pupil provided with a belt having one handle or more. The instruction handle and a hold on the handle-bar are sufficient safeguard for most pupils, but the belt will often give confidence to the timid and aid the instructor.
Two important points for the bicyclist to study are avoidance of road traffic and consideration of the surface ridden over. The law of the road applies to all traffic passing over the road; the law of mechanics to the surface of the road as it affects the bicycle and the cycler. In cities, on much-used thoroughfares, careful work, quick eyes, experience and caution are demanded to insure safety.
The law of the road, “Keep to the right, pass on the left anything going in the same direction,” is explicit, and if always observed would render collisions almost impossible. The avoidance of careless and unobservant travellers is quite a study. Passing to the right, you can see and be seen; passing on the left, a traveller moving in the same direction does not become aware of your intention without being notified. You give notice to prevent others from changing their direction and to enable them thus to avoid crowding.
To pass a vehicle on the road, when travelling in the same direction, involves increase of speed if the vehicle in front maintains its pace; should it go slower or stop, and the roadway permits, a changeof pace is neither necessary nor desirable, unless you wish to steady your machine. In nearing any vehicle or person coming from the opposite direction, keep your share of the road. Be always alert and observant; do not fail to give ample room to the approaching vehicle; but on the other hand, do not permit yourself to be crowded or inconvenienced, and keep enough of the roadway on your right in reserve in case a change of direction becomes necessary.
The importance of having your machine at all times perfectly under control cannot be over-estimated. Put faith in your pedaling, and never ride at greater speed than you can determine and check at will. Dependence on any brake, however perfect its action, is bad practice.
Vehicles approaching pass each other on the right. In case of collision, the vehicle which has maintained the proper side of the roadway has the advantage in case of legal controversy. In passing a vehicle drawn by horses, the bicycle should keep to the centre of the roadway when possible, leaving the curb for the horse-drawn vehicle. The bicycle can only draw away from the curb, and is limited to one direction. The centre of the roadway, therefore, affords the best opportunity for a change of direction.
Sit well on your saddle, observe the adjustment of the centre of gravity, but ride on the pedals, using the weight as much as possible. Trust to the pedals only for rough riding and for unexpected inequalities of surface. The study of the mechanics of balance, resistance, and friction is most interesting inthis connection, as their action affects cycler or wheel or the combined mechanisms.
The law of the road is simple and very generally understood, though there are reckless and ignorant people who disregard it. The law defines where you shall ride, how you shall pass, and sets a limit to increase of speed beyond what is considered compatible with the general safety. There is, besides, the unwritten law of courtesy, more often observed than disregarded; and there is the law you make for yourself.
The traffic of a crowded thoroughfare may be analyzed, and the conduct of a wheel explained and simplified, though travel on such routes is difficult at best and had better be avoided. Given a long, straight road, with two streams of travel from opposite directions. One of these streams will consist of vehicles, quadrupeds, and pedestrians, few maintaining an even rate of progress, fewer still the same rate. The law requires that you pass on the left, and you must await the opportunity to do so. When a clear way opens, take immediate advantage of it, and increase your speed. Should there not be room enough to pass, signal, and the vehicle in advance is bound to make way for you. Should there be a free road to the right, you may take it, but only with the consent of the traveller ahead, and then at your own risk.
Never ride more than two abreast. Riding in single file, with ample room for turning, is better on a crowded street or when making time. For moderate wheeling, the cyclists being disciplined and drilled,the distance between bicycles may be shortened. But control of the wheel should be absolute before this is attempted. When travelling at even a moderate rate of speed, a certain distance between wheels should be observed. When in single file, turn on the same line, but not at the same time as the leader. Inexperienced wheelers are apt to turn at the moment the wheel ahead turns. Should you be following close, keep on your own line, unless you see good cause to change your direction. If the leader wishes to stop, let him turn out: if you are wanted, you will know soon enough. Gain all the distance you can between dismounts. A little drill and the understanding of a few signals will prove very useful.
For the public at large, the bicycle may be specialized to suit individual needs, and locomotion becomes simplified, distances are reduced, and the obliterated landscape of railroad travel takes form and substance. Cycling means travel over well-constructed highways, with telephone and telegraph, post-office and express office, usually easily accessible. To enjoy the full freedom that wheeling should give, little luggage should be carried, yet that little must include all necessaries.
When a party of six or even twelve start to wheel a given distance, what are the problems to be met? All being fairly expert cyclists, in good practice, sociability is incidental while making time. On the road attention, strict attention, to business and to the signals is necessary. Conversation is not prohibited; it is entirely dependent upon the nature of the surface you are travelling.
How to keep together is a vexed question, and a very nice adjustment of animate and inanimate mechanism would be necessary to its satisfactory settlement. The better way is, all knowing the road, to wheel along independently, with an occasional halt, not necessarily a dismount, assembling at intervals of half or three-quarters of an hour. The leader should keep back until the roller of the party is hailed, and has reported, then increase speed again until the next interval has elapsed. Another plan is to wheel with only a given number of minutes headway, this arrangement keeping the roller-up always within hailing distance.
A good leader deserves implicit confidence. He has responsibilities aside from wheeling, for the comfort and convenience of others must be intelligently studied, and consideration for each individual cyclist in the party makes constant demand on the qualities of tact and decision; in other words, the leader must possess good judgment and be as well a thorough bicyclist.
The present rate of wheeling averages ten miles an hour, and greater speed is undesirable, except for special purposes. A point to keep in mind is that every five minutes’ halt is a mile lost. The time lost in slowing and stopping should also be carefully taken, as it is of value in reckoning possible mileage.
There are grades to hesitate about, and there are grades to avoid. If a grade seems possible, try it, but dismount the instant it becomes hard work. It is better to dismount too soon than to persist toolong. Without regard to the inclination, there are two principal kinds of grades—the increased grade and the decreased grade. In mounting the increased grade, more and more power is required at every stroke to push the machine upward. In mounting the decreased grade, this additional power is not necessary, and the ascent is accomplished with little fatigue. Increase of grade means application of more power in ascending, and an increase of momentum in descending. This is on the whole the most dangerous kind of bicycle travel; for over-work on the ascent, loss of pedals or dangerous coasting on the descent, are to be expected, and danger should be looked for, and observed in time to be avoided.
It is always well to walk an increasing grade, if the hill be long and steep, both in ascending and descending. The decreasing grade has many pleasant features, and on a well-known road may be ridden up or down with ease and with little danger of injury. It is interesting to watch the effect of individual adjustment to hill-work, a group of bicyclists being almost always scattered when mounting a grade.
When and where to apply power and when to make the push tell best on his own machine, each cyclist must determine by practice and experience. Sometimes a long and apparently easy down-grade is rendered dangerous by its increase of pitch; and seemingly easy roads are often difficult to travel on account of an increasing but almost imperceptible ascent. Unless power is applied to the stroke at the right place, much inconvenience from fatigue willbe felt, and will soon overcome the ambitious bicyclist.
When short expeditions are to be undertaken—all trips of more than an hour’s duration being so classed—remember that lack of preparation means delay, and that ignorance entails discomfort. If the start is to be an early one, go over the bicycle carefully, see that the lamp is in order, that matches are convenient, tools and repair-kit in place, a small envelope of sewing materials with needle and thread and another of red-cross supplies in the pocket.
I have often been laughed at for taking out my lamp for a short afternoon’s ride with friends who could ride well enough for their own satisfaction; and as often have I been obliged to help with my lantern’s light belated wheels coming in close behind me. A lantern is a convenience at dusk, or even earlier, enabling others to see and avoid you; and this helps more than the uncertain light annoys.
For luncheon on a short trip, it is quite safe to depend on the road; if you carry luncheon, a couple of bread-and-butter sandwiches well wrapped in waterproof paper, and thin slices of cheese in a separate paper, or hard chocolate and water-biscuit, are as good as anything; and such a luncheon may prevent delay in swampy or foggy or damp country from becoming dangerous.
Study the country you are to travel and the road-surface, understand your map, know your route, its general direction, etc. Always observe the road you cover; keep a small note-book, and jot down everything of interest. Use the pocket-compass,even in your home locality, to fix general direction; for when detained at night, such knowledge may prove useful. Fog and rain or a moonless night are bewildering, rendering familiar roads weird and strange; and, unlike the driver or equestrian in the dark, a bicyclist must trust to himself alone. Wheeling in the dark, however, has some advantages, as you are apt to ride in a straight line, and not turn out for bad places in the road; on the other hand, a certain amount of risk is necessarily taken. There should be no close riding, and constant care should be exercised for the avoidance of collision.
Cycling offers endless opportunities for the formation of clubs, and cycling clubs there are of all ages and sizes. A simple form of club for the earlier phases of the sport may be organized in this way: Buy two bicycles, and form as small a club as can manage their purchase. Keep a register, and pass the bicycles from member to member, for say a week at a time, repairs in case of accident to be paid for by the member using the wheel at the time of the accident. The club may later be enlarged by receiving any desired number of members and purchasing additional wheels in proportion. But nothing is so satisfactory as a chosen mount of your own, adjusted to suit your individual needs and kept for your own exclusive use. A bicycle exactly adjusted to your liking should be jealously devoted to your individual use. A beautiful machine should be kept free from finger-marks. Keep a chamois and a clean piece of cheese-cloth athand where it is kept, and use them. Nickel holds its polish if not attacked by acid or grease. Enamel should be treated differently, with cold water, sponge and chamois, after light dusting.
There are three very important methods of controlling the bicycle, namely, steering by the hands, guiding by foot-pressure on the pedals, and guiding by the swaying of the body; and these methods may be used separately or in combination.
The wheels are kept in motion either by pedaling, or simply by gravity in descending a grade. The use of the hands on the handle-bar is two-fold for the inexperienced—for steering and for correcting undue pressure on the pedals. The hand opposite the pedal that receives too much pressure corrects the tendency of the bicycle by an extra pull on the handle-bars. This is very good exercise, but it is a useless expenditure of force, and cannot be prolonged without great fatigue. It is the work of hill-climbing done on the level. The feet are on the pedals, and the natural tendency is to press equally at all times on both pedals and pull at the same time on both handles. One pedal must descend, and the other pedal must ascend; they are attached to the same axle, which is turned by either pedal or both pedals. As the pedals are always on opposite sides of a circle, one is always coming up, and its upwardtendency is resisted by any pressure, however slight. The lifting of the foot, therefore, from the ascending pedal means easy wheeling. This is one of the hardest things to realize. If there is little or no pressure to resist from the up-coming pedal, it is necessary to expend but little force to propel or push the down pedal; only enough, indeed, to overcome the weight or inertia of the bicycle and the bicyclist and of surface friction, provided there is no grade. But of grades, there are many; and to this is due the infinite variety of the sport of cycling, the muscular development and increased respiration of the cycler.